Head Injuries

A head injury is any type of trauma to the head that results in an injury to the skull, brain or scalp. Trauma is the leading cause of death in the United States for people between the ages of 1 and 44, and it is the third leading cause of death overall.

When hiring a personal injury attorney to represent a person who has suffered a traumatic head injury, it is necessary that the personal injury lawyer have knowledge of head injuries. Ted A. Greve & Associates, P.A. understands the unique problems of a head injury victim. Dr. Ted Greve is a licensed chiropractic physician who has treated thousands of injury cases and brings a unique understanding to his representation of you and your claims. In addition to experienced trial lawyers, our staff includes licensed insurance adjusters and other paralegals.

Head injuries can range from mild to severe, and can be classified as closed-head injuries, or open-head injuries. An open-head injury is when the object that has made contact with the head breaks through the skill and enters the brain. Statistics show that there are approximately 2 million head injuries reported each year in this country, and of those, more than 51,000 were fatal, and 20-30 percent of the surviving victims suffered permanent, irreversible disabilities.

Many head injuries could have been prevented, but because of the negligence of someone else, a personal injury results. The most common types of head injuries are:

• Concussion or contusion.
  A contusion or concussion occurs when the brain is bruised by striking the cranium. The injury cases headaches, vomiting, dizziness and problems remembering or concentrating. It can have long-term consequences.
• Anoxic brain injury.
  An injury that disrupts blood flow to the brain. An anoxic brain injury is caused by a lack of oxygen to the brain usually through bleeding and swelling of brain tissue.
• Traumatic brain injury (TBI).
  This results from rapid acceleration and deceleration of the brain, including shearing (tearing) of nerve fibers, contusion (bruising) of the brain tissue against the skull, brain stem injuries, and edema (swelling).
• Skull fracture.
  A skull fracture is a break in the bone that surrounds the brain. Often a skull fracture will heal on its own, but if there is tissue damage below the skull then fracture surgery may be required.
• Contrecoup.
  A contrecoup injury occurs when the brain is propelled against both sides of the skull. In this type of injury the brain will rebound and collides with the opposite side of the skull-when it strikes both sides of the skull, the result is a contrecoup injury.
• Epidural hematoma.
  This involves the formation of a blood clot between the skull and the top lining of the brain(dura). This clot causes pressure changes in the brain can require emergency surgery.
• Subdural hematoma.
  This involves the formation of a blood clot between the brain tissue and the dura. If it occurs slowly over several weeks it is referred to as a subdural hematoma; if it occurs quickly it is referred to an acute subdural hematoma. Like other clots this may require surgical correction.

Car accidents are the leading cause of head injuries in the U.S., and most of the accidents are due to negligence. If negligence is the cause, the victim may be entitled to recover damages, including all current and future medical costs, property damage, pain and suffering, loss of current and future earnings, loss of enjoyment and in some cases, punitive damages. Another cause of head injuries is slip and fall accidents.

While many accidents do not result in death or serious injury, other accidents dramatically affect victims for the rest of their lives. The long-term effects of a head injury can include cognitive deficits, reduction in motor skills and physical deficits, which can include walking, balance and coordination, fine motor skills and strength.

Cognitive deficits include difficulty in language and communication, information processing, memory and perceptual skills. Many victims exhibit changes in their personality (such as mood swings) and major lifestyle changes. Loss of short- and long-term memory can often result from head injuries. Other symptoms that affect a head victim might include emotional problems, speech complications, loss of sensations, seizures, paralysis, coma or even death.

At Ted A. Greve & Associates, P.A., our goal is to make sure that you are treated fairly. We have handled tens of thousands of injury claims, and we pledge to serve you and to provide the best possible representation with the utmost degree of professionalism. Your case will be handled as if it were our own.

For more information, visit our Head Injuries Frequently Asked Questions.

Contact us online through our free evaluation form if you have any questions about your claim.

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